Practice Policies

Confidentiality

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 (which is overseen by the Information Commissioner’s Office), Human Rights Act 1998, the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality, and the NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Security.

All of our staff and contractors receive appropriate and on-going training to ensure they are aware of their personal responsibilities and have contractual obligations to uphold confidentiality, enforceable through disciplinary procedures.

We maintain our duty of confidentiality to you at all times. We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it.

We will not disclose your information to any third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. life or death situations), or where the law requires information to be passed on and / or in accordance with the new information sharing principle i.e. “The duty to share information can be as important as the duty to protect patient confidentiality.”

This means that health and social care professionals should have the confidence to share information in the best interests of their patients within the framework set out by the Caldicott Principles. They should be supported by the policies of their employers, regulators and professional bodies.

Your information may be used within the GP practice for clinical audit to monitor the quality of the service provided or ensure we are providing appropriate care.

Equal Opportunities Policy

This policy applies to all visitors making use of the practice’s premises and services.

The term visitor used within this document refers to patients and their family members, other visitors and contractors but excludes employees, for whom the equal opportunities policy for staff applies.

The practice will:

Ensure that all visitors are treated with dignity and respect and in line with the practice dignity and respect policy.
Promote equality of opportunity between men and women.
Not tolerate any discrimination against, or harassment of, any visitor for the reason of sex, race, colour, religion, religious or philosophical belief, nationality, age, ethnic origin, marital status, civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment.
Provide the same treatment and services (including the ability to register with the practice) to any visitor irrespective of sex, race, colour, religion, religious or philosophical belief, nationality, age, ethnic origin, marital status, civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment.

Procedure for Patients to Follow

Discrimination by the Practice Against You

If you feel discriminated against:

You should bring the matter to the attention of Julie Ball (practice manager).
Julie Ball (practice manager) will acknowledge receipt of your concern within 3 working days and invite you in to discuss the way forward and agree on a mutual timeframe for resolution.
Julie Ball (practice manager) will establish the facts and decide whether discrimination has taken place and advise you of the outcome of the investigation within the agreed timeframe. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you should raise a formal complaint through the practice’s Complaints Policy Procedure.

Discrimination Against the Practice’s Staff

The practice will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment of its staff by any visitor.

Any visitor, who expresses any form of discrimination against, or harassment of, any member of the practice staff, will be required to leave the practice’s premises forthwith.

If the visitor is a patient, she/he may be removed from the practice’s list if any such behaviour occurs on more than one occasion.

Freedom of Information

Information about the GPs and the practice required for disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 can be made available to the public.

There are seven classes of information:

Who we are and what we do
What we spend and how we spend it
What our priorities are and how we are doing
How we make decisions
Our policies and procedures
Lists and registers
Services the practice offers

This covers any recorded organisational information such as reports, policies or strategies, that is held by a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and by UK-wide public authorities based in Scotland, however, it does not cover personal information such as patient records which are covered by the Data Protection Act 2018.

Public authorities include government departments, local authorities, the NHS, state schools and police forces.

This is enforced by the Information Commissioner who regulates both the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 2018.

The practice produces a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by our GPs. A copy of this guide is available from reception.

Infection Control Statement

We aim to keep our practice clean and tidy and offer a safe environment to our patients and staff. We endeavour to keep it clean and well maintained at all times.

If you have any concerns about cleanliness or infection control, please contact the surgery.

Our GPs and nursing staff follow our Infection Control Policy to ensure the care we deliver and the equipment we use is safe.

We take additional measures to ensure we maintain the highest standards:

Encourage staff and patients to raise any issues or report any incidents relating to cleanliness and infection control. We can discuss these and identify improvements we can make to avoid any future problems.
Carry out an annual infection control audit to make sure our infection control procedures are working.
Provide annual staff updates and training on cleanliness and infection control.
Review our policies and procedures to make sure they are adequate and meet national guidance.
Maintain the premises and equipment to a high standard within the available financial resources and ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce or remove all infection risk.
Use washable or disposable materials for items such as couch rolls, modesty curtains, floor coverings, towels etc., and ensure that these are laundered, cleaned or changed frequently to minimise risk of infection.
Make alcohol hand gel available throughout the building.

Your Rights and Responsibilities

Patient’s Rights

We are committed to giving you the best possible service. This will be achieved by working together. Help us to help you. You have a right to, and the practice will try to ensure that:

You will be treated with courtesy and respect.
You will be treated as a partner in the care and attention that you receive.
All aspects of your visit will be dealt with in privacy and confidence.
You will be seen by a doctor of your choice subject to availability.
In an emergency, out of normal opening hours, if you telephone the practice you will be given the number to receive assistance, which will require no more than one further call.
You can bring someone with you, however you may be asked to be seen on your own during the consultation.
Repeat prescriptions will normally be available for collection within two working days of your request.
Information about our services on offer will be made available to you by way of posters, notice boards and newsletters.
You have the right to see your medical records or have a copy subject to certain laws.

Patient’s Responsibilities

With these rights come responsibilities and for patients we would respectfully request that you:

Treat practice staff and doctors with the same consideration and courtesy that you would like yourself. Remember that they are trying to help you.
Please ensure that you order your repeat medication in plenty of time allowing 48 working hours.
Please ensure that you have a basic first aid kit at home and initiate minor illness and self-care for you and your family.
Please attend any appointments that have been arranged for you or use our Cancel an Appointment form to let the practice know if your condition has resolved or you no longer wish to attend.
Please follow up any test or investigations done for you with the person who has requested the investigation.
Attend appointments on time and check in with reception.
Patients who are more than 5 minutes late for their appointment will not be seen.
If you are unable to make your appointment or no longer need it, please give the practice adequate notice that you wish to cancel. Appointments are heavily in demand and missed appointments waste time and delay more urgent patients receiving the treatment they need.
An appointment is for one person only. Where another family member needs to be seen or discussed, another appointment should be made.
Please inform us when you move home, change your name or telephone number, so that we can keep our records correct and up to date. You can do this by filling in our Change of Personal Details form.
Let us have your views. Your ideas and suggestions whether complimentary or critical are important in helping us to provide a first class, safe, friendly service in pleasant surroundings.